Saying FC Barcelona have an extremely crowded midfield depth, at this point, would be an understatement.
With the 2019-20 LaLiga season already running and with roughly two weeks left in the transfer window, Los Blaugranas have a logjam in the middle of the pitch. Arturo Vidal, Sergio Busquets, Arthur, Sergi Roberto, Carles Aleña, Ivan Rakitic, Frenkie de Jong and Rafinha are all vying for playing time, and that’s not even considering two youngsters who will also alternate in the senior squad: Riqui Puig and Álex Collado.
In other words, Los Blaugranas have eight central midfielders, but only three spots in the starting XI. It’s a typical case of simply having too many mouths to feed, but the solution is simple. Someone will have to leave the club in the next two …
Rafinha has returned to his native Brazil with Flamengo after eight years at Bayern Munich.
The right-back, 33, has signed a two-year contract with the Rio de Janeiro-based club.
Rafinha won seven Bundesliga titles while at Bayern after joining from Genoa, as well as eight domestic cups and the 2013 Champions League.
He began his professional career with Brazilian side Coritiba before joining Schalke in 2005 and spending five years in Gelsenkirchen.
Flamengo announced the signing on their website, stating Rafinha would have his presentation at the club on June 24.
His first-team opportunities were limited with Bayern last season, leading to his departure after their domestic double triumph.
He was joined by veteran wingers Arjen Robben…
Gabriel Magalhaes has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, the club announced on Friday.
While Arsenal did not specify the length of the new agreement, media reports suggest the contract runs until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Gabriel joined Arsenal from Lille in 2020 for a reported fee of £23million (€26m) and, after an initial season of adaptation, became a key player for Mikel Arteta last term.
The Brazilian made 35 appearances in the Premier League in the 2021-22 campaign as the Gunners narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification.
They are well on track to right that wrong this season, however, with Arteta s side top of the Premier League after 10 matches, sitting four points clear of Manchester City.
Gabriel has featur…
Pep Guardiola insisted he would not swap any of his Manchester City players as they chase treble glory – batting away speculation about Erling Haaland.
City could match Manchester United s 1998-99 feat of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in one season, and Guardiola is no longer ridiculing that possibility.
They are a nose ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League and through to the quarter-finals of both knockout competitions, achieving such success largely without a recognised number nine striker.
Haaland is the player most frequently linked with City, although Real Madrid and Barcelona are known to admire Borussia Dortmund s prolific marksman too. A decision could reportedly come soon regarding Haaland s future.
Since I m he…
Spanish prosecutors are believed to be seeking a 10-year prison sentence and a fine of more than €18million for Samuel Eto o over alleged tax fraud.
According to reports in EFE and El Pais, the ex-Cameroon international and his former adviser Josep Maria Mesalles are accused of defrauding the state of €3.8million from 2006 to 2009, during his five-year stay at Barcelona.
The charges relate to the alleged transfer of image rights to companies in Spain and Hungary to escape paying tax on endorsement deals, including the striker s lucrative arrangement with sportswear manufacturer Puma.
Prosecutors filed a lawsuit against Eto o, who nows plays for Turkish Super Lig club Antalyaspor, on those grounds in 2012.
Unlike other LaLiga players embroiled i…
Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku were on target as Inter moved top of Serie A with a 2-1 victory at Brescia.
Martinez opened the scoring with a deflected first-half effort before Lukaku got in on the act with a stunning 63rd-minute solo goal in Tuesday s clash at Stadio Mario Rigamonti.
Milan Skriniar s own goal 14 minutes from time gave Brescia hope, yet they were left to rue missed chances by Mario Balotelli on what proved a frustrating outing for the striker against the side where he made his name.
The win sent Antonio Conte s side two points above reigning champions Juventus at the summit, although the Bianconeri can reclaim top spot when they face Genoa on Wednesday.
Inter were deservedly ahead by the 23rd minute, although there was more t…
RB Leipzig are set to push Bayern all the way for the title and that s a good thing. (Photo: Eurosport)
One common complaint among football fans regarding the Bundesliga is the fear that Germany s top flight is turning into a one-horse league. Part of the appeal of the Premier League is the fact that theoretically, at least five teams have a realistic shot at winning the title. Over in Spain, Barcelona and Real Madrid have turned the La Liga title fight into largely a duopoly, with Atletico Madrid breaking that hegemony back in 2014. But in the Bundesliga, as well as France s Ligue 1 and to some extent Italy s Serie A, the commonly held belief is that one team are the ones that rule supreme and all the others are merely playing catch-up.
In Germany, of course, that no. …
Paris Saint-Germain will challenge Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to follow their phenomenal World Cup feats by delivering a Champions League title in the new year.
The Qatar-owned club have European glory in their sights, and a difficult last-16 tie against Bayern Munich awaits them, with games against the German champions coming up in February and March.
After seeing Mbappe win the Golden Boot as top scorer, and Messi take the Golden Ball prize as the outstanding player, PSG undoubtedly had a strong World Cup.
The sight of Mbappe and Messi in opposition with France and Argentina, as they were in Sunday s World Cup final, will soon be replaced by them uniting on the field, possibly even by the end of the month.
PSG have a Ligue 1 game against Strasbourg …
Valencia will try to sign Javier Chicharito Hernandez from West Ham United, according to Spanish outlet Levante-EMV.
After four years with Guadalajara, Hernandez moved to Manchester United in 2010. He made a total of 157 appearances for the Red Devils and scored 59 goals, winning two Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson. He spent the 2014/15 season on loan at Real Madrid, and having returned to Old Trafford briefly, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015. He arrived to the London Stadium two years later.
The Mexico international is currently out of action due to a hamstring injury, but he has been in fine form for the Hammers this season, netting five times in 16 appearances under manager Manuel Pellegrini. On the other hand, Valencia have been stru…
Arsenal are ready to open contract talks with Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, according to the Mirror.
However, the North London outfit expect the negotiations to be tough with the Wales international keen to be on similar terms to the likes of Mesut Ozil and new signings Henrik Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Ramsey doubled his goals tally to six goals this season after bagging a superb hat-trick in Saturday afternoon’s 5-1 victory over Everton, while he also has six league assists to his name also.
Both he and Jack Wilshere are in line for new deals at the Emirates Stadium while Danny Welbeck is set to end the final year of his current contract.
Ramsey moved to Arsenal from Cardiff City in the summer of 2008 and has since racked up th…